Saudi Arabia’s PIF Establishes Aseer Investment Company

Aseer Investment Company will unlock a wide range of investment opportunities for domestic and international investors. (Public Investment Fund)
Aseer Investment Company will unlock a wide range of investment opportunities for domestic and international investors. (Public Investment Fund)
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Saudi Arabia’s PIF Establishes Aseer Investment Company

Aseer Investment Company will unlock a wide range of investment opportunities for domestic and international investors. (Public Investment Fund)
Aseer Investment Company will unlock a wide range of investment opportunities for domestic and international investors. (Public Investment Fund)

The Saudi Public Investment Fund announced on Thursday the establishment of Aseer Investment Company (AIC) to operate as its investment arm in the Aseer region, south of Saudi Arabia.

The new company will promote and stimulate local and foreign direct investment to develop and transform the region into a year-round tourism destination.

AIC will unlock a wide range of investment opportunities for domestic and international investors across a number of sectors, including tourism, hospitality, healthcare, sports, education, food, and many other fast-growing domestic industries.

It will contribute to fostering public-private partnerships, creating jobs for the local community, and promoting the region’s tourism and investment opportunities.

Raid Ismail, Head of Direct Investments for the Middle East and North Africa at PIF said: “AIC aims to become a leading facilitator of broad-ranging investment opportunities in Aseer.”

AIC will promote the region’s rugged mountains, stunning nature, and storied culture, preserve its ancient history and heritage, and transform it into a world-class tourist destination for visitors from across the globe in line with PIF’s strategy and Vision 2030, Ismail added.

The company’s establishment comes in line with PIF’s strategy to unlock the capabilities of promising sectors in the Kingdom and support the country. It also comes in line with the Aseer region’s position as a leading investment destination.



Turkish Annual Inflation Falls More Than Expected to 44.38%

A shopkeeper uses his mobile phone as he waits for customers at a popular middle-class shopping district in Istanbul, Türkiye March 4, 2024. REUTERS/Murad Sezer/File photo
A shopkeeper uses his mobile phone as he waits for customers at a popular middle-class shopping district in Istanbul, Türkiye March 4, 2024. REUTERS/Murad Sezer/File photo
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Turkish Annual Inflation Falls More Than Expected to 44.38%

A shopkeeper uses his mobile phone as he waits for customers at a popular middle-class shopping district in Istanbul, Türkiye March 4, 2024. REUTERS/Murad Sezer/File photo
A shopkeeper uses his mobile phone as he waits for customers at a popular middle-class shopping district in Istanbul, Türkiye March 4, 2024. REUTERS/Murad Sezer/File photo

Turkish annual consumer price inflation fell more than expected to 44.38% in December, official data showed on Friday, with education, housing and restaurant prices leading the rise.

Month on month, inflation was 1.03%, the Turkish Statistical Institute said, compared with 2.24% in November. Annual consumer price inflation (CPI) was 47.09% in November.

Furniture prices rose 2.78% from the previous month, data showed, while telecoms-related prices gained by 1.82%.

In a Reuters poll, the annual inflation rate was expected to fall to 45.2%, with the monthly figure seen at 1.61%, owing to easing food price inflation and a limited rise in energy prices.

The latest inflation print was close to the central bank's midpoint prediction of 44% for the end of 2024.

The bank, having kept its main interest rate steady at 50% since March, launched an easing cycle last week, cutting the policy rate by 250 basis points to 47.5%.

The bank said it will set policy "prudently" meeting by meeting with a focus on the inflation outlook while responding to any expected "significant and persistent deterioration".

The Turkish lira was little changed after the data at 35.3850 to the dollar, hovering around the record lows.

The domestic producer price index was up 0.4% month on month in December for an annual rise of 28.52%, the data showed.